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AL HS Team Preview: Ariton Purple Cats

January 13, 2023
PBR Alabama Staff

The 2023 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, excitement abounds throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across Alabama.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in the Jacksonville/Oxford/Montgomery area at the AISA or AHSAA state championships, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Alabama. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews and by continuing our scheduled podcasts and releasing our preseason Top 10 in each AHSAA classification. 

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the state. Each week we will be releasing our players of the week, updating the Top 10 in each AHSAA classification as well as a Power 25. One thing that you especially don’t want to miss are our scheduled podcasts with guests from across the state as well as recaps and previews of big games across the state.  

*Please note that all information is based on team preview questionnaires that were sent out and returned by the participating high school coaches.


High School Name: Ariton Purple Cats 

Coach’s Name: Logan Dunlap 

Classification: AHSAA 2A 

2022 Record: 21-16

Area Number: Class 2A, Area 4 

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 8 

No. of Returning Pitchers: 9 

Team Strengths: Senior Leadership, Depth

Top Returning Players: 

Top 2023 Prospects: 

  • LHP Coleman Bragg (2023)

Top 2024 Prospects: 

Team Outlook

It was another stellar spring for the Ariton Purple Cats, as they reached their second-consecutive Final Four in Class 2A. The Purple Cats played an extremely tough schedule for their classification, and even through their record wasn't as flashy as others heading into the area play and playoffs, they were well-prepared to make a deep run in the playoffs that they will look replicate in 2023.

Ariton enjoyed a 21-16 season in 2022 and they seemed to really hit their stride down the stretch and play their best baseball as a team when it mattered most. After finishing runner-up to rival GW Long in their area, the Purple Cats swept each series in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd rounds of the Class 2A playoffs, setting up a rematch of last year's Final Four matchup with GW long with a spot on the state finals on the line. After splitting the first two contests and going to the winner-take-all Game 3, the Purple Cats were ultimately defeated by a score of 9-5 to end yet another strong season. This spring, motivation shouldn't be an issue for Ariton, as they bring back eight positional starters and nine returning pitchers who were all so close to reaching the Class 2A State Finals for the second-consecutive year. OF/RHP Landon Tyler (2023) looks poised to help lead charge for the Purple Cats both at the plate and on the mound. The senior was voted co-captain by his teammates and has worked really hard this off-season, and is expecting another breakout senior season in 2023.

OF Landon Tyler (2/25/22)

Sharing the co-captain duties with Tyler, INF Connor Thrash (2023) was a 2022 1st Team All-State member in Class 2A last spring and will look to have that same type of success this spring. Thrash will look to make the move to third base defensively this spring and could see some time behind the plate, as well. INF/RHP Phenix Griffin (2023) has a chance to be one of the top pitchers in Class 2A this spring. He's another senior who has a chance to have a special season while serving as one of the top arms in their rotation and providing some offensive production in the middle of the order.

INF/RHP Phenix Griffin (2/25/22)

Making the move to first base this season, 1B/RHP Paxton Steed (2023) is still recovering from an arm injury suffered in the off-season, but all signs point to him being able to return on the mound just in time for a playoff run. Steed will also serve as a primary run-producer this spring, as well. Rounding out the senior class, LHP Coleman Bragg (2023) is another solid option on the mound who will look to throw some important innings this spring after leading the Purple Cats in innings pitched just a season ago. He's extremely effective when he's in the zone and throwing strikes. INF Caden Collier (2024) is a strong offensive returner coming back who also received post-season honors by being named a 2022 2nd Team All-State member in 2022. Collier led the Purple Cats in batting average last spring and is looking for an even bigger year at the plate this spring. INF/RHP Lawson Leger (2024) is another junior infielder who brings a ton of versatility to this team, and can play multiple positions on the field. He will also throw some innings on the mound and looks poised for a breakout season at the plate. Two more juniors to keep an eye out for this spring will be LHP/DH Hughes Hammock (2024) and C/RHP Dalton Murphy (2024). Hammock will be a big bat in the lineup with a chance to be a solid option on the mound, while Murphy returns to the handle the pitching staff behind the plate.

The Purple Cats certainly know what it takes, especially the juniors and seniors, to make a deep run throughout the Class 2A playoffs, as they've recorded two-consecutive Final Four appearances. They are sure to be highly-motivated in 2023 and will once again be real contenders in this classification with the hopes of a Class 2A crown when the dust has settled in 2023.

 

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